SKM-called Bharat Bandh today to mark one year of 3 farm laws
The 10-hour Bharat Bandh on Monday may disrupt road and rail traffic in states ruled by opposition parties as they are supporting the call for a general strike by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of over 30 farmer organisations protesting the three farm laws.
In the states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), elaborate security arrangements have been made to prevent farmer bodies and opposition parties to disrupt normal life. Additional security forces have been deployed in all districts in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Bihar.
The strike will start at 6am and end at 4pm. “More than 605 farmers have been martyred, including two deaths related to police brutalities. The Modi government is behaving in an extremely undemocratic and inhuman way against farmers, and BJP will certainly bear the consequences of this,” SKM said in a statement on Sunday.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday asked all state party chiefs to join the Bharat Bandh. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati extended her party’s support. In Kerala, the Left parties have called for a complete shutdown along with the Congress. In West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has extended her support for the strike and has asked police to ensure there are no untoward incidents. In Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress will protest at district headquarters against the Centre refusing to withdraw the three farm laws notified a year ago. In several states, various labour, lawyer and traders bodies have extended support to the call for a general strike.
The biggest impact of the strike is expected in Haryana, Punjab, parts of Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh, which have been at the centre of the 10-month long farmer protest. Farmer bodies in Meerut said committees have been formed to block traffic at every state and national highway in Uttar Pradesh.
Bharatiya Kisan Union’s media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said national highways would be blocked at 14 places in Bijnor, eight places in Meerut, three places in Ghaziabad, 10 places in Muzaffarnagar and in various places in other districts across Uttar Pradesh.
“We are committed to ensuring there is no law and order problem in the state during the bandh. All arrangements have been done and different police units have been put on alert in advance,” said Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General, Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh Police.
In Punjab and Haryana, farmer bodies have announced that they would block all national and state highways and
will not allow trains to run. In the two states, all political parties except BJP are supporting the strike and have asked workers to ensure that it is successful. In Haryana, protests are planned at the Delhi-Ambala rail link and national highway, apart from the ones at all district headquarters.
In Rajasthan, farmers have requested all market associations and traders keep the markets closed, said Sanjay Madhav, spokesperson of SKM. “Besides farmers and traders’ organisations, the Left and Congress are supporting the bandh,” he said.
In Bihar, authorities have instructed all superintendents of police (SPs) in districts to take prompt action against protestors disrupting road and rail traffic or blocking roads that cause inconvenience to commuters.
Lawbreakers would be dealt with firmly, said JS Gangawar, additional director general of police (headquarter). “All SPs have been directed to take action against protestors and ensure that law and order is maintained,” he said.
All political parties in West Bengal, including the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and except the BJP, are supporting the strike. “Our government does not support bandhs, but the TMC fully supports the issue. The Centre must withdraw the three draconian farm laws immediately,” said chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting the September 30 assembly bypoll at Bhawanipore in Kolkata.
The Tripura government-imposed curfew in East and West Agartala areas from September 21 till November 4 to prevent any procession or meetings during the period, even though SKM has given a call to disrupt traffic.
In Odisha, Congress and Left unions will try to disrupt rail traffic. State government officials have been asked to attend office by Santosh Bala, special secretary, home. The strike is not expected to have an impact in Goa, Gujarat, most parts of Maharashtra, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.